Last July I completed my ninth year in Smartmatic. That is easy to say, but it has been a time of growth, challenges and deep learning. That is why I decided to write this post. I humbly believe that my experience may encourage many coworkers in this big Smartmatic family.
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My experience can be summarized in the following highlights:
Satisfaction. Working for more than nine years in a company like Smartmatic makes me feel that I have done it right, that my work adds value, and that every day is an opportunity to learn and grow. And as someone here says: It's the same as the first year, but multiplied by nine!
Growth. When I started working in Smartmatic, we were some 40 employees. We have grown very fast. From being a homogeneous group, we now have come to be more than 800 employees around the world, with more branches and more challenges.
Learning. Working in Smartmatic has taught me many lessons in the professional side. The first one was —and has been— to adapt to work under pressure: everything goes like, do it right now! I've also had to adapt to team work, as a way to provide a better service.
Anecdotes. These nine years have been full of anecdotes. The most famous, which many still remember is: "Who the f… is Andreina Hernández?" starred by Alfredo Wolkowiez. I had been working in the company for only one month and was very shy. We were in the 15th floor in the Banvenez building (our former main office in Caracas) and I was sitting at my workstation beside Liliana Sáenz, my Coordinator, together with others in the same floor. In a meeting with Human Resources, Alfredo came out from the office with an apparent angry attitude and said: “I've got this list of people that collaborated in the elections, and I don´t know who the f… Andreina Hernández is”. Liliana and all those present could not stop laughing as they saw my frightened face. As a good girl, I raised my hand. Alfredo or W, as many call him, could not help laughing, too. Even today, many that were there or knew about this story still pass by my workstation, and joking say: "Who the f…. is Andreina Hernández?"
Interaction. In the Design office, we practically have to work with all Departments. We have to consider them as our clients. And as everywhere, there are some people that we've had to learn how to deal with —very patiently. In spite of that, and of the hectic work pace, it has been a pleasing experience.
Recognition. I am very happy because in the last Employee Survey 2013, we were ranked as the Best Department.
